Method and apparatus for the production of mouthpieces



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607/4 nggfd ri iiw A/ P1933 Ezzmmmmmmm fWWWf .3 (X I K i A United States Patent 3,487,754 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF MOUTHPIECES .lt'irn Flasdieck, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assignor to Hauui-Werke Kiirber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergetlorf, Germany Filed Nov. 4, 1964, Ser. No. 408,805 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Nov. 11, 1963, 44,338/ 63 Int. Cl. 1324f 5/50 US. Cl. 93-li 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Composite mouthpieces for filter cigarettes or cigars are produced in an apparatus wherein the flutes of a rotary drum accommodate assemblies including rod-like median elements of first filter material and coaxial rod-like outer elements of second filter material. All elements of each assembly are severed while accommodated in a common flute and are thereupon shuffled to form second assemblies wherein portions of elements of first filter material alternate with portions of elements of second filter material. Each second assembly is then provided with a wrapper which is convoluted around its portions.

The present invention relates to the production of mouthpieces in general, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for the production of composite mouthpieces of the type consisting of at least two coaxial rodshaped members. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in a method and apparatus for the production of composite mouthpieces while the rod-shaped components of such mouthpieces move sideways with or relative to each other. The mouthpieces which are produced in accordance with the present invention may be utilized in mass production of filter cigarettes, filter-tipped cigars, cigarillos, cheroots and similar rod shaped smokers products.

In accordance with the presently prevailing practice, composite mouthpieces for filter cigarettes or the like are obtained by subdividing each of two or mor filter rods of multiple unit length and consisting of different filter materials into sections of requisite length, by thereupon shifting the sections of each filter rod axially and away from each other, and by ultimately shuffling the thus shifted sections to form assemblies wherein sections consisting of different materials alternate with each other. Such assemblies are then wrapped in sheets of adhesive-coated material to form mouthpieces of multiple unit length. As a rule, the sections which consist of different filter materials are conveyed in separate paths and are shuflied with each other only upon completion of the shifting step. Therefore, the apparatus for carrying out such conventional methods invariably require much space and consist of a large number of relatively movable parts which contributes to the initial and maintenance cost of the machine.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a novel apparatus for the production of composite mouthpieces and to construct the apparatus in such a way that two or more groups of rod-shaped members consisting of different filter materials may be shifted, aligned and otherwise manipulated while advancing on a common conveyor so that the space requirements of the apparatus and the number of its component parts are reduced to -aminimum with resultant savings in material and maintenance cost.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the just outlined characteristics which may be readily converted for the production of longer or shorter mouthpieces of multiple unit length, which may be con- 3,487,754 Patented Jan. 6, 1970 verted for the production of composite mouthpieces with or without turbulence chambers, and which may be utilized for the production of composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length wherein each unit length contains a predetermined quantity of activated granular charcoal or otherwise comminuted filter material.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide a novel assembly conveyor which may be utilized in an apparatus of the above outlined characteristics and to construct the conveyor in such a way that its holders may accommodate and allow for shuffling or other treatment of two or more different types of filter rod stock.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel method of producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length according to which only a small number of rod-shaped members must be removed from a common path in order to obtain assemblies of rod-shaped members wherein members of unit and/ or multiple unit length consisting of different filter materials alternate with each other.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of the just outlined characteristics which may be utilized with equal advantage for the production of duplex or triplex mouthpieces of multiple unit length.

Briefly stated, one feature of my invention resides in the provision of a method of producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length. The method comprises the steps of shuffling a pair of coaxial rod-shaped elements consisting of a first filter material with a rod-shaped element consisting of a second filter material to form a first amembly of coaxial rod-shaped elements wherein elements consisting of different materials alternate with each other, Subdividing each element into a plurality of rod-shaped members to form a second assembly wherein the number of members consisting of first filter material exceeds by one the number of members consisting of second filter material,removing from the second assembly some members which consist of one of said materials and whose number is less by one than the number of members consisting of the second material whereby the thus removed members form a subgroup of coaxial members and the remaining members of the second assembly form a group of coaxial members, shifting some members of the group axially to form between the members consisting of the other material gaps of a length which at least equals the length of a member in the subgroup, shifting the members of the subgroup axially so that each such member registers with one of the gaps, shuffling the members of the subgroup with the members of the group to form a third asembly of coaxial members wherein members consisting of different materials alternate with each other, and convoluting an adhesive-coated wrapper sheet around the third assembly to form a composite mouthpiece of multiple unit length.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevational view of an apparatus which is constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of my invention;

FIGS. 2 to 16 illustrate the steps of a method for the production of duplex mouthpieces of multiple unit length which may be carried out by resorting to the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 17 illustrates one of the initial steps in a somewhat modified method which may be carried out by resorting to an apparatus similar to the one shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 18 is a diagrammatic side elevational View of a second apparatus which may be utilized for the production of triplex mouthpieces of multiple unit length of the type wherein each mouthpiece of unit length comprises a predetermined quantity of granular filter material; and

FIGS. 19 to 36 illustrate the steps of a method which may be carried out by resorting to the apparatus of FIG. 18.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 2 to 16 illustrate the steps of a method which may be carried out in accordance with a first embodiment of my invention. This method comprises the steps of advancing a first filter rod 1 (shown in FIG. 2 and hereinafter called white filter rod) of sextuple unit length and consisting of a first filter material in a direction substantially at right angles to its axis (i.e., sideways) and severing the filter rod midway between its ends (see FIG. 3) to obtain two coaxial white sections 2, 3 of triple unit length. The sections 2, 3 are then shifted axially and away from each other in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 4 to define between themselves an elongated gap 1a.

A second filter rod 4 (shown in FIG. 5 and hereinafter called black filter rod) of sextuple unit length and consisting of a second filter material is advanced sideways and is shufiled with the sections 2, 3 to form therewith a first assembly 1A consisting of three coaxial rodshaped elements 2, 4, 3 which are separated from each other by two elongated gaps 4a of identical length, see FIG. 6. The assembly 1A is moved sideways and its rodshaped elements 2, 4, 3 are subdivided in such a way that the white section 2 yields a white end filter 5 of unit length and a white section 6 of double unit length, that the white section 3 yields a white end filter of unit length and a white section 9 of double unit length, and that the black filter rod 4 yields a black section 7 of double unit length and a black section 8 of quadruple unit length. The thus obtained second assembly 1B of six coaxial rod-shaped members is shown in FIG. 7. In a next-following step which is shown in FIG. 8, the section 8 is subdivided into two coaxial black sections 12, 13 of double unit length to form with the remaining rodshaped members 5, 6, 7, 9, 10 a third assembly 10. This assembly 10 is then broken up by shifting the white sections 6, 9 transversely with reference to the remainder of the assembly 1'C (see FIG. 11) whereby the sections 6, 9 form a subgroup 1D whose rod-shaped members are separated from each other by a gap 1b and the remainder of the assembly 1C forms a group 1B which is shown in FIG. 9 and wherein the end filters 5, 10 are separated from the black sections 7, 12, 13 by two elongated gaps 4b. In the next step, shown in FIG. 10, the black sections 7, 13 are moved axially and away from each other to form two elongated gaps 14, and two shorter clearances 40 whereby the clearances 4c extend between the end filters 5, 10 and the sections 7, 13 respectively. The group IE is now transformed into a group 1F. In a step which is shown in FIG. 12, the sections 6, 9 of the subgroup ID are shifted axially and toward each other so that they respectively register with the gaps 14, 15 and form a modified subgroup 1G. The length of the sections 6, 9 and of the gaps 14, 15 is selected in such a way that, when the subgroup 1G is thereupon shuffled with the group 1F in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 13, the rod-shaped members of the resulting assembly 16 are separated from each other by clearances 40 of identical length. In other words, the length of the gap 1c between the sections 6, 9 of the subgroup 1G equals the length of the black section 12 plus the combined length of two clearances 4c. Also, the length of the gap 14 or 15 equals the length of a white section 6 or 9 plus the combined length of two clearances 4c. It will be noted that the assembly 16 comprises seven coaxial rod-shaped members 5, 7, 6, 12, 9, 13, 10 wherein members 5, 6, .9, 10 of fi st filter material a ternate with members 7, 12, 13 of second filter material and wherein the filters 5, 10 are located at the ends.

In a next-following step which is illustrated in FIG. 14, the assembly 16 is shortened or condensed to form a shorter or condensed assembly 17 wherein the adjoining rod-shaped members are in actual abutment with each other. This is achieved by shifting th end filters 5, 10 axially and toward each other until all of the clearances 4c are eliminated. The assembly 17 is then contacted by a rectangular wrapper sheet 18 which is shown in FIG. 15 and one side of which is coated with a suitable adhesive substance. The sheet 18 is thereupon c011- voluted around the assembly 17 to form therewith a composite (duplex) mouthpiece 19 of sextuple unit length (see FIG. 16) wherein white rod-shaped members alternate with black rod-shaped members. By subdividing the mouthpiece 19 along the lines 19a, 19b, one obtains three composite mouthpieces 19c19e of double unit length. Such mouthpieces may be arranged in a single file of parallel mouthpieces whose elements are ready to be fed between consecutive pairs of axially spaced tobacco rods to form therewith filter cigarettes of double unit length in a manner well known in the art and not forming part of my present invention. It will be noted that the number of white rod-shaped members 5, 6, 9, 10 in the assembly 10 exceeds by one the number of black rod-shaped members 7, 12, 13, and that th number of white rod-shaped members 6, 9 in the subgroup 1D is less by one than the number of black rod-shaped members in the assembly 1C.

If it is desired to produce mouthpieces wherein the white and black rod-shaped members are separated from each other by clearances or pockets which are not filled with a filter material, the step shown in FIG. 14 is omitted, i.e., a wrapper sheet 18 of requisite length is applied around the assembly 16 of FIG. 13 so that the clearances 40 remain and will form air-filled turbulence chambers or pockets which contribute to superior filtering action of a composite mouthpiece. In other words, a wrapper sheet may be applied around the assembly 16 or 17, depending on the desired length and filtering action of the ultimate product.

If desired, one may start with a white filter rod of eight times unit length so that the assembly 1B shown in FIG. 7 will comprise four white sections of double unit length, i.e., the end filters 5, 10 will be replaced by sections of double unit length. However, the method of FIGS. 2 to 16 is preferred because there is no waste in filter material.

It will be seen that the method of my invention comprises the basic steps of forming an assembly IQ of coaxial rod-shaped members including two axially spaced mirror symmetrical groups of rod-shaped members 5, 6 and 10, 9 consisting of a first filter material and a third group 7, 12, 13 located intermediate the two groups 5, 6 and 10, 9 and consisting of a second filter material whereby the total number (three) of members in the third group is less by one than the combined number (four) of members in the two groups, interchanging the positions of some such members to form a different assembly 16 or 17 wherein members consisting of different materials alternate with each other (in FIGS. 10-13 the members 7, 13 have respectively changed positions with the members 6, 9), and convoluting an adhesive-coated wrapper sheet 18 around the assembly 16 or 17.

The apparatus which may be used for practicing the method of FIGS. 2 to 16 is shown in FIG. 1. This apparatus comprises a source of parallel white filter rods 1 here shown as a magazine 34 which is provided with an inclined or vertical chute 34a arranged to feed the rods 1 seriatim and by gravity to an inserting conveyor in the form of a rotary drum 35 having a plurality of equidistant axially parallel peripheral holders 35a. Each such holder 35a is provided with one or more rod-receiving g ooves of substantiall semicircular cross section.

It is clear that the inserting drum 35 embodies or cooperates with suitable retaining means which insure that the filter rods 1 remain in the respective holders 35a while advancing to a first transfer station A between the drum 35 and an assembly conveyor here shown in the form of a large rotary drum 36. Such retaining means may comprise a pneumatic system including suction ducts which retain the rods 1 in the respective holders 35a during travel from the discharge end of the chute 34a to the transfer station A or, alternatively, the retaining means may comprise one or more arcuate shields which surround a portion of the inserting drum 35. In FIG. 1, the retaining means were omitted for the sake of clarity.

The assembly drum 36 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 1, and advances the white filter rods 1 past a rotary disk-shaped cutter 37 which severs the rods midway between their ends so that each such rod yields two coaxial white sections or elements 2, 3 shown in FIG. 3. The assembly drum 36 also cooperates with a wedge-like shifting or spreading cam 38 which is fixed to the frame of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 and is located past the cutter 37, as seen in the direction in which the drum 36 rotates. The cam 38 shifts the sections 2, 3 axially and away from each other to form the gap 1a shown in FIG. 4.

Black filter rods or elements 4 are stored in a second magazine 39 having a vertical or inclined chute 39a to discharge such rods seriatim and by gravity feed into consecutive holders 40a of a second inserting conveyor or drum 40 which defines with the assembly drum 36 a second transfer station B located past the cam 38 so that each black filter rod 4 enters the gap 1a between a pair of axially spaced white sections 2, 3 (see also FIG. 6). The thus obtained assemblies 1A advance past a row of three coaxial rotary disk-shaped cutters 41, 42, 43 which are driven by a shaft 31 whereby the elements 2, 4, 3 of each consectuive assembly 1A are subdivided in a manner as shown in FIG. 7 to form assemblies 1B wherein the rod'shaped members 7, 8 remain separated from the rodshaped members 6, 9 by two gaps 4a of identical length. The assemblies 1B then advance past a single rotary diskshaped cutter 44 which is driven by a shaft 32 and serves to subdivide the members 8 so that each such member yields two black members 12, 13 of double unit length, see FIG. 8, whereby the assemblies 18 are transformed into assemblies 1C.

While advancing with the drum 36, the assemblies 1C are thereupon broken up at a third transfer station C where the drum 36 cooperates with a rotary removing conveyor or drum 46 whose holders 46a receive the subgroups 1D consisting of white sections 6, 9 (see FIG. 11) while the groups 1E (FIG. 9) continue to advance with the drum 36 and are moved past a series of shifting cams 45 which move the black sections 7, 13 axially and away from the black section 12 to form two gaps 14, 15 and two clearances 40, i.e., to transform the groups 1E into groups 1F shown in FIG.

The holders 46 deliver the subgroups 1D into consecutive holders 47a of a rotary shifting conveyor or drum 47 (see the transfer station D in FIG. 1), and the drum 47 cooperates with a pair of suitably inclined shifting earns 48 which move the sections 6, 9 of each subgroup 1D axially and toward each other (see FIG. 12) to form the subgroups 16 which are thereupon advanced to a transfer station E where the holders 47a deliver the subgroups 1G into consecutive holders 49a of a rotary transfer conveyor or drum 49. This drum 49 delivers the subgroups 1G to a further transfer station F (see also FIG. 13) where the groups 1F are shufiied or interdigitated with the subgroups 1G to form assemblies 16 which are thereupon advanced past a pair of inclined shifting or condensing earns 50 (see also FIG. 14) to form condensed assemblies 17 which are ready for wrapping. The manner in which the drums 46, 47 and 49 manipulate rodshaped articles is disclosed in Patent No. 3,199,418,

granted Aug. 10, 1965 to Schubert and assigned to the same assignee.

The apparatus of FIG. 1 further comprises a source of wrapper tape 52 (e.g., a suitable reel which is not shown in the drawings), and such tape is advanced by a pair of cooperating advancing rolls 53 at least one of which is driven to feed the tape toward the periphery of a rotary suction drum 51 of known construction. On its way from the advancing rolls 53 to the suction drum 51, one side of the tape 52 is coated with a layer of suitable adhesive in response to contact with the periphery of a rotary applicator roller 54a forming part of a conventional paster 54. The roller 54a receives paste from a second roller 54]) which dips into a paste tank 54c. The suction drum 51 cooperates with a bladed rotary knife 55 which severs the leading end portion of the tape 52 into Wrapper sheets 18 of requisite length. The peripheral speed of the drum 51 exceeds the speed of the tape 52 so that the sheets 18 are automatically spaced from each other and are applied to consecutive assemblies 17 at a transfer station G so that each sheet 18 is substantially tangential to the corresponding assembly 17, see also FIG. 15. Such assemblies 17 (each with a sheet 18 adhering thereto) are then advanced to a further transfer station H where they leave the assembly drum 36 to advance with a wrapping drum 56 which moves them past a fixed wrapping member 57 which cooperates with the drum 56 to convolute the sheets 18 around the respective assemblies 17 and to form the mouthpieces 19. Such mouthpieces are retained on the wrapping drum 56 by one or more arcuate retaining shields 59 and are ultimate- 1y allowed to descend onto the upper stringer of an endless take-oif conveyor belt 58 driven by a deflecting roller 58a and serving to advance the mouthpieces 19 to storage or to a further processing station, for example, to a station where the mouthpieces 19 are severed along lines 19a, 1% shown in FIG. 16 to yield duplex mouthpieces -191: of double unit length.

By the simple expedient of omitting the condensing cams 50 and by replacing the tape 52 with a tape whose 'width equals the length of an assembly 16, the apparatus of FIG. 1 may be converted for the production of composite mouthpieces wherein the adjoining rod-shaped members of different filter materials are separated from each other by pockets or turbulence chambers of a length corresponding to the length of clearances 4c shown in FIG, 13. The clearances 40 are eliminated when the wrapper sheets 18 consist of very thin material having little tensile strength. Such weak material will be capable of forming a satisfactory tubular shell around a condensed assembly 17 but is less likely to form a sufiiciently strong tubular shell around the assembly 16 of FIG. 13.

A very important advantage of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is that its parts occupy very little room and that the holders of all conveyors are separated from each other by distances of identical length. Thus, the distance between the holders 33 is the same as the distance between the holders of all other drums shown in FIG. 1.

The manner in which rod-shaped members may be transferred at the stations AF and H is well known in the art. Such transfer may be effected by suction, by compressed air or by mechanical stripping devices. All of the drums shown in FIG. 1 (excepting, of course, the drum 51) are rotated at the same peripheral speed by a mechanism of the type normally used in filter machines or filter cigarette machines. The axes of all drums are parallel to each other and the holders of all drums are parallel to such axes. A wrapping drum which may be utilized in the apparatus of FIG. 1 is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 3,001,528 to Bernhard Schubert.

In addition to being convertible into an apparatus for the production of composite mouthpieces wherein the clearances 40 form air-filled turbulence chambers, the apparatus of FIG. 1 may be modified in another way as follows: The drums shown in FIG. 1 are replaced by drums of double axial length so that the apparatus will be capable of processing twice as many white and black filter rods. For example, and as shown in FIG. 1, the magazine 39 may be replaced by a magazine which discharges a white filter rod 22 between each pair of coaxial white sections 20, 24 of double unit length, such sections 20, 24 corresponding to the sections 2, 3 of FIG. 3. The magazine which replaces the magazine 39 is then followed by two aligned magazines or by a dual magazine which discharges two coaxial black filter rods 21, 23 into the gaps between the sections 20, 24 and the white filter rods 22, If the centrally located filter rod 22 is then halved along the line 25 shown in FIG. 17, one obtains two assemblies each of which corresponds to an assembly 1A of the type shown in FIG. 6. Such assemblies are then processed sideby-side in the same way as illustrated in FIGS. 7-16. In other words, the method described in connection with FIGS. 2 to 16 may be modified in such a way that the ultimate product is a duplex mouthpiece of twelve times unit length, i.e., twice the length of the mouthpiece 19 shown in FIG. 16. Of course, the tape 52 must be replaced by a tape whose width equals the combined length of two wrapper sheets 18. It is clear that a similar procedure may be followed in producing filter mouthpieces.

of eighteen times unit length.

The sections 20, 22, 24 and 21, 23 may be obtained by respectively severing a white and a black filter rod into a requisite number of sections and by thereupon shufiiing such sections to form the assembly of FIG. 17.

Referring now to FIGS. 19 to 36, there are illustrated the steps of a modified method which is resorted to in the production of triplex mouthpieces of multiple unit length. In accordance with this second method, one starts with a white filter rod 201 (FIG. 19) of ten times unit length, and this filter rod is then severed to yield two white sections or elements 202, 203 of quintuple unit length, see FIG. 20. In the next step, the sections or elements 202, 203 are shifted axially and away from each other (FIG. 21) to form a long gap 201a.

A black filter rod or element 204 (see FIG. 22) of ten times unit length is then shufiled with the sections or elements 202, 203 in a manner as shown in FIG. 23 to form an assembly 201A of three coaxial rod-shaped elements.

This assembly is then transformed into an assembly 201B,"

shown in FIG. 24, by severing the white sections or elements 202, 203 and the black filter rod or element 204 in such a way that the section 202 yields an end filter 207 of unit length and a white section 220 of quadruple unit length, that the section 203 yields an end filter 212 of unit length and a section 206 of quadruple unit length, and that the filter rod 204 yields a black section 205 of sextuple unit length and a black section 213 of quadruple unit length. The assembly 201B is then transformed into a third assembly 201C, shown in FIG. 25, by severing the sections 220, 206 to respectively obtain pairs of sections 208, 209 and 210, 211 of double unit length, and by severing the section 205 to obtain a black section 214 of quadruple unit length and a black section 215 of double unit length. The length of the gap 201a exceeds the length of the black filter rod 204 by a predetermined extent so that the white sections 208, 209, 210, 211 may be shifted axially and away from the respective end filters 207, 212 to form an assembly 201D shown in FIG. 26, whereby the rod-shaped members 207-209 and 210-212 are respectively separated from each other by gaps 204b of predetermined length and the sections 209, 210 are separated from the sections 213, 214 by gaps 1c of short but identical length. The gaps between the rod 204 and white sections 202, 203 (see FIG. 23 and also FIGS. 24, 25) are indicated by reference characters 204a.

In a next-following step, the assembly 201D of FIG. 26 is broken up by staggering the long sections 213, 214 transversely with reference to the remainder of the assembly whereby the sections 213, 214 form a subgroup 201E shown in FIG. 29 and the remainder of the assembly 201D forms a group 201F, see FIG. 27. This group 201F is then transformed into a group 201G (see FIG. 28) by shifting the sections 208, 209 and 210, 211 axially and away from the respective end filters 207, 212 so as to transform the gaps 2041: into longer gaps 221, 222, 223, 224 and to transform the narrow gaps 2040 into clearances 226 of predetermined identical length, such clearances 226 being provided at the opposite ends of the black filter section 215 which remains coaxial with the end filters 207, 212 andwhite sections 208-211 to form the central rod-shaped member of the roup 2016.

The subgroup 201E is then transformed into a subgroup 201H (see FIG. 30) by subdividing the black sections 213, 214 into black sections 216, 217 and 218, 219 of double unit length, and the subgroup 201H is ultimately transformed into a third subgroup 2011 by shifting the black sections 216-219 axially and away from each other so that each such section is moved in transverse alignment with one of the gaps 221-224 (compare FIGS. 28 and 31). It is clear that the section 213, 214 may be subdivided into sections 216-219 prior to breaking up of the assembly 201D. However, it is normally preferred to manipulate comparatively long sections and, therefore, the sections 213, 214 will be subdivided subsequent to breaking up the assembly 201D.

In the step which is shown in FIG. 32, the group 2016 is shufiied or interdigitated with the. subgroup 201] to form an assembly 225 wherein white rod-shaped members alternate with black rod-shaped members of double unit length, wherein the filters 207, 212 are located at the ends, and wherein the adjoining members are separated from each other by clearances 226 of identical length. In the next-following step, shown in FIG. 33, the assembly 225 is connected with a rectangular Wrapper sheet 118 one side of which is coated with a suitable adhesive and which is then partially convoluted around the assembly 225 to form a substantially U-shaped or V-shaped body 118a (see FIGS. 34 and 34a) whereby the clearances 226 form open-sided pockets 228 having their open sides facing upwardly or substantially upwardly so that each thereof may receive an accurately measured quantity of granular, pulverulent or other flowable solid filter material 229, see FIG. 35. Thus, by introducing such filter material (e.g., activated charcoal) into the pockets 228 of the assembly 227 shown in FIG. 34, one obtains an assembly 230 (see FIG. 35) which is finally transformed into a triplex mouthpiece 231 of ten times unit length by convoluting the U-shaped body 118a around the row of coaxial rod-shaped members and by thereby closing the pockets 228. The mouthpiece 231 of FIG. 36 may be subdivided into five mouthpieces of double unit length wherein each such mouthpiece of double unit length comprises a centrally located black filter section, two white end filters of unit length, and two granular filters of unit length. This will be readily understood by referring to FIG. 36 which shows four lines 231a indicating the planes in which the mouthpiece 231 may be severed to yield five triplex mouthpieces of double unit length.

It will be seen that the number of black rod-shaped members 216-219 in the subgroup 201H is less by one than the number of black rod-shaped members 215-219 which may be obtained by subdivision of the black filter rod or element 204, and that the number of black members 215-219 is less by one than the total number of white rod-shaped members 207-209 and 210-212 which are obtained by subdividing the white elements 202, 203. The method of FIGS. 19-36 differentiate from the method of FIGS. 2-16 in that the subgroups 16, 201H respectively consist of white and black rod-shaped members, but the number of such members in the subgroup is always less by one than the total number of black rodshaped members which are obtained by subdividing the element 4 or 204.

The apparatus which may be used for practicing the 9 method of FIGS. 19 to 36 is illustrated in FIG. 18. This apparatus comprises a first magazine 134 which discharges white filter rods 201 see also FIG. 19) into consecutive axially parallel peripheral holders of an inserting drum 135 corresponding to the drum 35 of FIG. 1. The inserting drum 135 delivers the rods 201 sideways into consecutive holders 133 of a large assembly drum 136 (see the transfer station AA) which advances the white filter rods past a cutter 137 serving to subdivide such rods into pairs of white sections or elements 202, 203 shown in FIG. 20. A wedge-like shifting cam 138 is adjacent to the path of sections 202, 203 and serves to shift them axially and away from each other so as to form the gaps 201a shown in FIG. 21.

A second magazine 139 contains a supply of parallel black filter rods 204 (see also FIG. 22) and delivers such rods into consecutive holders of a second inserting drum 140 which is located past the cam 138 and feeds the rods 204 into consecutive holders 133 of the assembly drum 136 at a second transfer station BB corresponding to the station E of FIG. 1 so that each holder 133 moving past the station BB accommodates an assembly 201A (see also FIG. 23). The assemblies 201A advance past a row of coaxial rotary disk-shaped cutters 141, 142, 143 which are driven by a shaft 131 and serve to transform such assemblies into assemblies 201B one of which is shown in FIG. 24. Thus, the cutters 141, 142, 143 respectively sever the sections 202, 204, 203 to form the end filters 207, 212 and sections 220, 213, 205 and 206. A second row of coaxial rotary disk-shaped cutters 125, 144, 126 (mounted on a drive shaft 132) serves to transform each assembly 201B into an assembly 201C wherein the end filters. and sections are arranged in a manner as shown in FIG. 25. At a further transfer station CC, the black sections 213, 214 are withdrawn from the holders 133 to enter consecutive holders of a removing drum 146 and to form subgroups 201E (see FIG. 29), the remainder of each assembly 201C forming a group 201F one of which is shown in FIG. 27. It is to be noted that the assembly drum 136 cooperates with a set of suitably inclined shifting cams 145 which extend all the way to a point immediately following the row of cutters 125, 144, 126 so that each assembly 2010 is transformed into an assembly 201D (see FIG. 26) even before its coaxial rod-shaped members reach the transfer station CC. The cams 145 continue to shift the rod-shaped members 208- 211 axially and away from the end filters 207, 212 so that each group 201F (FIG. 27) is transformed into a group 201G (FIG. 28) prior to reaching a transfer station FF which corresponds to the transfer station F of FIG. 1. Thus, the sections of the assemblies 201C and groups 201F may be shifted gradually because the cams 145 extend all the way from the cutters 125, 126, 144 to the transfer station FF. The subgroups 201E are transferred into consecutive holders of a rotary shifting drum 147 which cooperates with a pair of rotary disk-shaped cutters 164, 165 so that each section 213, 214 respectively yields a pair of sections 216, 217 and 218, 219 (see the subgroup 201H of FIG. 30), and such sections are then advanced past a set of four suitably configurated and inclined shifting cams 148 which transform each subgroup 201H into a subgroup 201] (see FIG. 31) by moving the sections 216-219 in transverse alignment with the gaps 221-224. The transfer stations between the shifting drum 147 and the drums 146, 149 are respectively indicated at DD and EE. The drum 149 is a transfer drum and serves to deliver the subgroups 201] from the transfer station EE to the station FF where the subgroups 201] are shuffled with consecutive groups 2016 to form as semblies 225 one of which is shown in FIG. 32. Such assemblies 225 then advance past a rotary suction drum 151 which corresponds to the drum 51 of FIG. 1 and serves to apply rectangular wrapper sheets 118 of requisite length. Such sheets 118 are obtained by severing the leading end portion of a tape 152 which is fed by advancing 10 rolls 153 and has one of its sides coated with adhesive while moving along the applicator of a paster 154. The suction drum 151 cooperates with a rotary bladed knife 155 and immediately staggers the wrapper sheets 118 so that each thereof may be readily attached to one of the assemblies 225 (see also FIG. 33).

The assemblies 225 (each with a wrapper sheet 118 attached thereto) are then delivered into consecutive holders of a rotary wrapping drum in such a way that each sheet 118 is automatically transferred into a U- shaped or V-shaped body 118a best shown in FIGS. 34 and 34a. The drum 160 is of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,714,384 to Bernhard Schubert and comprises pairs of radially reciprocable wrapping members which replace the fixed wrapping member 57 of FIG. 1 and cooperate with each other to complete the convoluting operation. As soon as an assembly 225 is transferred into a holder of the wrapping drum 160, its adhesivecoated wrapper sheet 118 forms a U-shaped body 1180 whereby the clearances 226 are transformed into opensided pockets 228 whose open sides face upwardly while moving along the top portion of the drum 160. A suitable filling device 162 receives granular filter material from a magazine or hopper 162a and is constructed in such a way that its outlets 162b discharge measured quantities of granular material 229 into each row of pockets 228 before the wrapping members of the drum 160 complete the wrapping operation. In other words, the filling device 162 (which may be of the type as disclosed in the copending application Ser. No. 384,131. nnw Patent No. 3,308,832, issued Mar. 14, 1967, of Carl Stelzer) is located along such portion of the path of wrapper sheets 18 where sheets already form U-shaped bodies 118a and where the open sides of the pockets 228 face upwardly or substantially upwardly so that the material 229 may be delivered by gravity feed. The mouthpieces 231 then continue to advance with the wrapping drum and are delivered onto the upper stringer of a takeoff conveyor belt 158 which is driven by a deflecting roller 158a. The belt 158 may advance the mouthpieces 231 to storage, to a further processing station, or to a filter cigarette machine.

The stations GG and HH of FIG. 18 respectively correspond to the stations G and H of FIG. 1. The station I] is the filling station, and the station KK is the station where the holders of the wrapping drum 160 deliver mouthpieces 231 into consecutive holders of an evacuating drum 163 which thereupon delivers such mouthpieces onto the take-off belt 158.

The reference numeral 127 in FIG. 18 illustrates a portion of one disk-shaped end wall for the assembly drum 136. This drum comprises two such end walls which serve to insure that the end filters 207, 212 cannot move beyond two predetermined axial positions shown in FIGS. 24-28 and 3233. Thus, when the sections or elements 202, 203 of FIG. 20 are shifted axially to take the positions shown in FIG. 21, their outer end faces abut against the end walls 127 of the assembly drum 136. This insures that the filters 207, 212 are invariably located at the opposite ends of the assemblies 225 and at the opposite ends of the mouthpieces 231.

The manner in which the shifting and spreading cams may move rod-shaped members and groups or subgroups of such members axially is disclosed in more detail in a copending application Ser. No. 408,998, now Patent No. 3,368,460, issued Feb. 13, 1968 of Bernhard Schubert. It will be noted that the peripheral holders of the drums shown in FIG. 18 are placed at the same distance from each other, i.e., the distance between the holders 133 is the same as that between the holders of the drums 135, 140, 146, 147, 149, 160 and 163. The peripheral speed of each drum (with the exception of the suction drum 151) is the same, and these drums are provided with suitable retaining shields or pneumatic retaining devices to insure that the filter rods and their sections are properly 1 1 retained in the respective holders while moving from station to station and onto the take-off belt 158.

The axial length of a black section 215, 216, 217, 218 or 219 exceeds the axial length of a white section 208, 209, 210 or 211. Since a longer section is easier to handle, the method shown in FIGS. 19-36 may be carried out with utmost precision because the shorter (white) sections and end filters need not be removed from the holders 133 whereas the withdrawal, shuflling and reinsertion of rather long black sections 216-219 presents no problems particularly since the sections 213, 214 which are removed from the holders 133 are of quadruple unit length. By placing the cutters 164, 165 along the path of subgroups 201E, I insure that the black sections 213, 214 are subdivided immediately prior to reaching the shifting cams 148 so that the drum 146 removes comparatively long sections to reduce the likelihood of misalignment and other problems which arise in connection with the manipulation of short rod-shaped members.

The rod-shaped members which are removed from the elongated path defined by the assembly conveyor 36 or 136 consist of filter material that is less likely to undergo deformation in response to removal and reinsertion into the holders of the assembly drum. Thus, the material of the filter rods 1 is less sensitive than the material of the filter rods 4, and the material of the filter rods 204 is less sensitive than the material of the rods 201. The number of rod-shaped members which form a subgroup is comparatively small so that such members may be removed, shifted, aligned and reinserted with utmost accuracy and in a very simple manner.

An examination of FIGS. 1 and 18 will reveal that the rotary disk-shaped cutters are mounted in such a way that each rod-shaped element or member is severed only one at a time. Thus, the cutter 37 of FIG. 1 will sever the rod 1 to form the sections 2, 3, the cutters 41, 42, 43 will respectively sever the sections 2, 3 and the rod 4 to form the members shown in FIG. 7, and the cutter will sever the section 8 to form the sections 12, 13. The same applies for FIG. 18 wherein the cutter 137 severes the rod 201 to form the sections 202, 203, the cutters 141, 142, 143 respectively sever the elements 202, 203, 204 to form the rod-shaped members shown in FIG. 24, the cutters 125, 126, 144 respectively sever the members 220, 205, 206 to form the rod-shaped members shown in FIG. 26, and the cutters 164, 165 respectively sever the members 213, 214 to form the members 216-219 shown in FIG. 30. In other words, each rod-shaped element or member is severed only once at a time which is of advantage because the likelihood of jamming or deforming (such as will take place between two coaxial cutters which sever a single rod-shaped member at two axially spaced points) is eliminated in a very simple manner. The rotational speed of the disk-shaped cutters preferably exceeds the rotational speed of the drums to insure that the cutters will form clean cuts.

It is clear that the filter rods 1, 4, 201, 204 need not consist of a single type of filter material. For example, the filter rod 4 of FIG. may be a composite mouthpiece of multiple unit length so that the mouthpiece 19 of FIG. 16 will consist of three different filter materials. The same applies for the filter rod 1 and for the filter rods 201, 204.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces from assemblies of coaxial rod-shaped elements of the type including outer elements of a first filter material and a median element of a second filter material, assembly conveyor means including a plurality of substantially parallel holder means for advancing the assemblies sideways; means for subdividing each median element into a plurality of members and for subdividing the outer elements of the respective assembly into a plurality of members while such median and outer elements are accommodated in a common holder means; and means for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to convert each of said assemblies into a second assembly wherein members of first filter material alternate with members of second filter material.

2. An apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length from assemblies of coaxial rodshaped elements of the type including two outer elements of a first filter material and a median element of a second filter material, comprising an assembly conveyor including a plurality of parallel holders for advancing the assemblies sideways; means for subdividing each median element irito members of double unit length and for subdividing each ,outer element of the respective assembly into an outer member of unit length and at least one member of double unit length while such median and outer elements are accommodated in a common holder; means for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to form in each of said holders a second assembly including alternating members of difierent materials and a member of unit length at each end; and Wrapping means for convoluting adhesive-coated wrapper sheets around said second assemblies.

3. An apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length from assemblies of coaxial rod-shaped elements of the type including a plurality of parallel holders for advancing the assemblies sideways; first rotary disk-shaped cutter means for subdividing each median element into an odd number of members of double unit length and second rotary disk-shaped cutter means for subdividing each outer element of the respective assembly into an outer member of unit length and at least one member of double unit length while such elements are accommodated in a common holder, said odd number exceeding by one the combined number of members of double unit length which consist of said first material; means for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to form in each of said holders a second assembly including alternating members of different materials and a member of unit length at each end; and wrapping means for convoluting adhesive-coated wrapper sheets around said second assemblies.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein each of said rotary cutter means comprises a row of at least two coaxial cutters and a common shaft for such rows of cutters, the cutters of each row being spaced from each other in such a way that each thereof severs a different element of an assembly in the momentarily adjacent holder of said assembly conveyor.

5. An apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length from assemblies of coaxial rod-shaped elements of the type including two outer elements of a first filter material and a median element of a second filter material, comprising an assembly conveyor including a plurality of parallel holders for advancing the assemblies sideways; means for subdividing each median element into members of double unit length and for subdividing each outer element of the respective assembly into an outer member of unit length and at least one member of double unit length while such elements are accommodated in a common holder; means for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to form in each of said holders a second assembly including alternating members of diflferent materials and a member of unit length at each end, said last named means comprising means for removing from consecutive holders of said assembly conveyor members of double unit length which consist of one of said materials and whose number equals the combined number of members of double unit length which consist of said first material, means for shifting the remaining members of double unit length in each holder axially to provide between adjoining members of the same material which remain in said holders gaps of a length at least equal to the length of a removed member, means for shifting the removed members axially so that each thereof is moved into transverse alignment with a gap between the remaining members in a holder, and means for transferring the thus shifted removed members into consecutive holders so that each of the thus transferred members is received in one of the gaps in the corresponding holder; and wrapping means for convoluting adhesive-coated wrapper sheets around said second assemblies.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said assembly conveyor is a rotary drum and wherein each of said removing and transferring means is a rotary drum.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second assemblies comprise rod-shaped members which are separated from each other by clearances of identical length, and further comprising a filling device for introducing into each of said clearance measured quantities of a third filter material prior to the application of said wrapper sheets around the respective second assemblies.

8. An apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length from assemblies of coaxial rodshaped elements of the type including two outer elements of a first filter material and a median element of a second filter material, comprising an assembly conveyor including a plurality of parallel holders for advancing the assemblies sideways; first inserting means for feeding said outer elements into consecutive holders of said conveyor; second inserting means for feeding said median elements into consecutive holders of said conveyor so that such median elements are located between the respective outer elements; means for subdividing each median element into members of double unit length and for subdividing each outer element of the respective assembly into an outer member of unit length and at least one member of double unit length while such elements are accommodated in a common holder; means for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to form in each of said holders a second assembly including alternating members of different materials and a member of unit length at each end; and wrapping means for convoluting adhesive-coated wrapper sheets around said second assemblies.

9. An apparatus for producing composite mouthpieces of multiple unit length from assemblies of coaxial rodshaped elements of the type including two outer elements of a first filter material and a median element of a second filter material, comprising an assembly conveyor including a plurality of parallel holders for advancing the assemblies sideways; means for subdividing each median element into members of double unit length and for subdividing each outer element of the respective assembly into an outer member of unit length and at least one member of double unit length while such elements are accommodated in a common holder; means: for interchanging the positions of some of said members in each of said assemblies to form in each of said holders a second assembly including alternating rod-shaped members of different materials and a rod-shaped member of unit length at each end, the members of said second assemblies being separated from each other by clearances of identical length and said last named means comprising means for removing from consecutive holders of said assembly conveyor members of double unit length which consist of one of said materials and whose number equals the combined number of members of double unit length which consist of said first material, means for shifting the remaining members of double unit length in each holder axially to provide between adjoining members of the same material which remain in said holders gaps of a length atleast equal to the length of a removed member, means for shifting the removed members axially so that each thereof is moved into transverse alignment with a gap between the remaining members in a holder, and means for transferring the thus shifted members into consecutive holders so that each of the thus transferred members is received in one of the gaps in the corresponding holder; wrapping means for convoluting adhesive-coated wrapper sheets around said second assemblies; and a filling device for introducing into each of said clearances measured quantities of a third filter material prior to the application of said Wrapper sheets around the respective second assemblies, said wrapping means comprising means for deforming each of said sheets into a substantially U-shaped body to transform each of said clearances into an open-sided pocket, and means for completing the convolution of such U-shaped bodies around the respective second assemblies to close said pockets, said filling device being adjacent to said wrapping means in such position that said third filter material is admitted into said open-sided pockets whereby, upon completion of the convoluting operation, the third filter material is entrapped in said pockets.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 25,917 11/1965 Stelzer 93-1 2,3253 86 7/1943 Frank 93-1 2,882,970 4/1959 Schur 93-1 3,039,373 6/ 1962 Rudszinat 93-77 3,122,974 3/1964 Rowlands 93-1 3,164,243 1/1965 Rudszinat 93-1 2,304,585 12/ 1942 iMcMinn 156-185 2,459,721 1/1949 Poltorak 156-185 2,113,655 4/1938 Kellie 156-475 1,789,467 1/ 1931 Intemann 156-475 3,368,460 2/1968 Schubert 93-1 WAYNE A. MORSE, 1a., Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 93-77 

